New version of Maplesoft’s testing and assessment tool provides greater insight into student performance

Following the completion of the DeltaBot, a robot based on an innovative cable-actuated delta-style design, Dr. Khajepour received a surprising number of requests from industry for its use. Based on this commercial demand Dr. Khajepour established AEMK Systems (www.AEMKSystems.com), a company specializing in the design and distribution of high-speed, cable and vision-based robotics systems for use in a variety of industrial applications. The DeltaBot is capable of over 120 pick-and-place cycles per minute and handling up to 20 kg.

In recent years, the demand for hybrid-electric and fully electric vehicles has increased enormously. The development of such vehicles is a significantly more complex task than designing conventional cars because they incorporate many different engineering domains into a single system. At the same time, competitive pressures are forcing auto manufacturers to come up with new designs faster than ever before. The industry is turning to math-based physical modeling techniques which allow engineers to accurately describe the behavior of the components that comprise the system and the physical constraints on the system. These model equations are then used to develop, test, and refine designs very quickly, and without the expense and time required to build physical prototypes.

Models with discrete events can run over 100 times faster in MapleSim 4.5. The latest release includes enhanced support for Modelica^®, an open standard for describing physical models and components that forms the basis of many components in MapleSim. With MapleSim 4.5, engineers can now access new collections of components using the Modelica import feature, seamlessly including third-party Modelica libraries and their own custom Modelica components in their MapleSim models.

Maple 14 Grid Computing Toolbox offers built-in integration with Windows^® HPC Server 2008 R2 and enables distributed computing using Maple, the primary tool for engineers to solve complex mathematical problems and create rich technical documents.

Cleveland Golf, an internationally recognized maker of golf clubs with a strong tradition of innovation, wanted to explore ways to increase the performance of their drivers. Their engineers turned to MapleSim, a physical modeling and simulation tool from Maplesoft, to help them in this project.

Renault’s Mechanical Engineering Department has developed a Maple model that describes the general behaviour of a lubricated mechanical system, to predict engine seizure. This type of modelling, known as 0D-1D modelling, concentrates on describing physical behaviour over time. In this way, the manufacturer is able to avoid the additional costs, estimated at between 1 and 2 million euros, which arise when the first prototype of an engine exhibits a tendency to seize.

Unmanned planetary exploration is a focus for many space research agencies worldwide. To do this successfully, advanced autonomous robotic rovers are needed. Dr. Amir Khajepour, Canada Research Chair in Mechatronic Vehicle Systems and Professor of Engineering in the Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering department at the University of Waterloo (UW), is working with the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), Maplesoft, and the Government of Canada, to develop a full solution for the power management system of autonomous rovers. With MapleSim, the base of the mathematical model of the 6 wheeled rover was developed in only a month, without writing down a single equation.

Maplesoft™ announced the simultaneous release of MapleSim™ 4, the high-performance, physical modeling and simulation tool, and Maple™ 14, the technical computing software for engineers, mathematicians, and scientists. MapleSim 4 introduces a new 3-D construction feature and a flexible probe management tool whereas Maple 14 includes new control system design tools, linearization tools, and new solvers.